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FAIR PUBLIC ACCESS & COACHING POLICIES

74 signatures 26 to reach 100
Z
Zachary L. signed
S
Sheldon p. signed
J
Jake C. signed
M
Matt W. signed
M
Michael H. signed
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Taylor A. signed
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Gina M. signed
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Dominic l. signed
B
Bonita R. signed
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Chris I. signed
JJ
Started by Jon Jones 3 months, 2 weeks ago
We, the undersigned residents, taxpayers, parents, and members of the Springfield hockey community, hereby formally petition for the immediate review and reversal of recent policy changes implemented at Brightspeed Ice Park that materially restrict access to publicly funded facilities, limit lawful coaching activity, and impose unreasonable economic constraints on independent instructors.



Legal & Public Interest Concerns

1. Restriction of Access to Taxpayer-Funded Resources

Brightspeed Ice Park operates, in whole or in part, utilizing public funding and taxpayer-supported resources, including but not limited to facility infrastructure and equipment.

The recent prohibition on the use of rink equipment by coaches constitutes a restriction on access to publicly funded assets that are intended to serve the community at large.

Such restrictions raise legitimate concerns regarding:

* Equitable access to public resources
* Deviation from intended public-use purpose
* Selective limitation of lawful recreational and developmental activity



2. Unreasonable Prohibition of Coaching During Stick-and-Puck Sessions

The enforcement or threatened enforcement of disciplinary action against individuals engaging in coaching or skill instruction during stick-and-puck sessions represents an arbitrary and capricious restriction on lawful use of paid public ice time.

Stick-and-puck sessions are, by their nature, designed for:

* Individual skill development
* Informal training
* Open-access improvement

Prohibiting coaching within this context:

* Lacks clear safety or operational justification
* Interferes with the intended purpose of the session
* Disproportionately impacts youth development opportunities



3. Restrictive and Anti-Competitive Coaching Limitations

Policies limiting coaches to:

* One (1) session per week (potentially two)
* A maximum of six (6) participants per session

functionally restrict access to instruction and may constitute:

* Unreasonable restraint on independent coaching activity
* Artificial limitation of available services within a publicly accessible facility



4. Disproportionate Revenue Extraction and Economic Burden

The escalation of facility revenue share up to 25% of coaching income, combined with standard independent contractor tax obligations (~20%), results in coaches retaining approximately 55% or less of earned income.

This structure:

* Creates a financial disincentive for qualified instructors
* Reduces availability of services to the public
* May be viewed as exploitative within a publicly supported facility context



Formal Demands for Policy Restoration

Accordingly, we formally request the following actions:

1. Immediate Restoration of Coaching Rights During Stick-and-Puck times

2. Restoration of Access to Taxpayer-Funded Equipment
* Allow reasonable, non-exclusive use of rink equipment for coaching and player development purposes

3. Removal or Revision of Arbitrary Coaching Restrictions
* Eliminate or substantially increase limits on:
* Weekly coaching ice time
* Number of participants per session

4. Reevaluation and Reduction of Coaching Revenue Share
* Restore prior fee structures or implement a reasonable and equitable rate consistent with public facility standards with outside audit available quarterly to Coaches and Public of funds allocated via coaching funded by City of Springfield.

Conclusion

Brightspeed Ice Park exists to serve the community. Policies that restrict community access, highlight management and administration deficiencies, limit development, and impose excessive and punative financial burdens upon the citizens of Springfield are inconsistent with that mission.

We respectfully demand prompt action to restore fair, reasonable, and community-oriented use of this public facility.

13 Comments

D
Dave Schwartz
2 months ago Featured

STOP MESSING WITH OUR KIDS HOCKEY TIME. Seriously who comes up with these rules???

M
Mike McBride
3 months ago Featured

This rink is a joke now. My kid needs his coach to get better and they are trying to stop it. Leave the coaches alone.

J
Jennifer Bryant
3 months ago Featured

Just let the kids train. Its hard enough finding ice time without all these extra rules getting in the way.

S
Sarah Meyer
3 months ago Featured

Ridiculous decision. We pay taxes for this facility and now we cant even use it properly.

B
Bonita Reed
3 months ago Featured

Our children have learned at this facility, grown at this facility, and enjoy their Hockey time there. I am against these changes that will cause any hardships on our families.

H
Hammad khan
3 months ago Featured

The current direction makes it unnecessarily difficult for dedicated players to receive the training they need to advance. Coaching is the backbone of skill development; removing these resources limits our children’s potential and ignores the needs of families committed to competitive growth. Restricting access to specialized coaching undermines the hard work these young athletes put in daily. To compete at a high level, kids need professional instruction and a culture that values excellence over mere recreation. We must maintain a clear pathway for those who are driven to succeed.

Z
Zachary Lay
3 months ago

This is outrageous behavior

C
Chris Iacob
3 months ago

Private lessons should not be restricted

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